| > The context is certainly important in understanding what an
| author meant
| > in their writings. The "non fingo . . ." I think indicates rather
| > conclusively Newton's intentions.
| >
| Of course, did he throw that in because he REALLY didn't want
| to speculate
| or because:
|
| http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0510&L=semnet&D=0&T=0&P=27727
|
| "Newton's "Hypotheses non fingo" was in response to criticism that
| all he had was an interesting conjecture and not proven results.
| In those days hypotheses were not considered a good thing. Francis
| Bacon railed against the speculative hypotheses of the Aristotelian
| philosophers of his time and demanded resort to experience."
|
|
| Who is to know?
No doubt, my use of the words "conclusively", was hasty and exhibited
unwarranted hyperbole.